thesoulpurposedotorg

The least often told part of the Christmas story is the slaughter of baby boys done at Herod’s behest. And now, just a few days ago, in the midst of this Christmas season, we have been horrified at the slaughter of innocents as well as of our own innocence in Conneticut. It is only natural that we look for something or someone to blame other than the murderer himself. I think this is a time for us to mourn together as a nation and ask ourselves how we have gotten to this place. The answers to this question will be many things, not just one thing such the lack of prayer in school or the proliferation of guns. These far-too-often massacres are evidence of a rise of evil in our society, an evil empowered because we have lost our center, no longer seeing ourselves as a nation under God but as a collection of consumers centered in self gratification.
However, I do not believe that these particular children and teachers died because of the lack of prayer in school. These children were children of faith. Psalm 139 reminds us

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12 NIV)

 God’s ways are not ours.  I believe there have been many murders of children, including the slaughter of the innocents at the time of Jesus’ birth that are beyond our understanding. It is when we admit that we truly do not understand that our faith is strongest.  Breathe in God’s peace even as we mourn. Remember that history is beyond our grasp.  But it all is in God’s hands, even the ugliness and horror. This life is merely a flicker of a much larger story. Even so, there is something required of us – we must let God fill our own hearts so that God’s light can shine through us in these very dark days. Be the Light whatever your circumstance. The darkness can not overcome us.